BROADCASTS.com

Published: July 30, 2014, 1:36 p.m.

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This week on Barbell Shrugged we are honored to be joined by Kevin Ogar. Just in case you aren\\u2019t aware, Kevin became well-known after\\xa0fracturing his spine\\xa0at a competition in January 2014. \\xa0

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It\\u2019s only been six months since that devastating, notorious injury, but Kevin seems remarkably recovered, at least spiritually and emotionally. You should have seen him smile wide when he was telling us about the bright white Stacie Tovar shorts he was wearing underneath his pants. \\u201cYeah, I\\u2019m actually wearing them underneath here. I heard she was going to be over at the\\xa0Barbells for Boobs\\xa0tent\\u2026I thought I would challenge her to a booty-shortshowdown.\\u201d

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That group has been so supportive and caring for Kevin and his family these past few months, causing a bit of a stir at their Crossfit Games tent would be the least he could do in return. Also, it would just be a good time. That\\u2019s one of the lesson\\u2019s that Kevin has taken away from the injury. \\u201cNow that I\\u2019m in a\\xa0wheelchair I\\xa0really like to push the limits of what I can get away with.\\u201d

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It\\u2019s hard not to love that attitude. I must admit, I\\u2019m not sure I could keep that perspective, especially after such a freak accident. That\\u2019s really all it was, a freak thing on an otherwise routine set of snatches. An off catch with a modest load. A dumped repetition that changed a life forever. The question has been begged over and over by now, \\u201cIs Crossfit dangerous?\\u201d But Kevin flatly denies that. It was more about the angle, the odd timing, the one in a million shot that did the breaking. In truth, he\\u2019s one of the rarest of patients. Most injuries of this sort are attributed to skiing accidents, vehicle crashes, and other sorts of routine activities where the risk is more widely known and accepted. But this is different. In fact, it\\u2019s hard to identify another case like Kevin\\u2019s at all. The injury was anything but an inevitability.

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Our conversation started to turn visceral and raw when Kevin began to describe how the injury felt. At the moment of fracture his nervous system went into extreme shock and alarm. His whole body burned with pain and sharp electricity. I just sat there as he spoke, quivering a bit, growing more and more queasy by the second. I couldn\\u2019t imagine the feeling, and I couldn\'t respect the guy more for what he has endured.\\xa0

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Eight Dilaudid fueled, motionless days followed the injury. At first the doctors didn\\u2019t want to lose Kevin to shock and blood loss. Next up was the intense spinal surgery that would place his back into alignment. The approach was from the side. The ribs were split and dislocated. His organs had to be removed and his entire core reassembled. \\u201cThat surgery has a 35% survival rate.\\u201d That only made the weight of this injury all the more heavy. I could hardly stand the thought.\\xa0

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Despite the dangers and risks, Kevin couldn\\u2019t have had a better surgical outcome. Still, he know\\u2019s he has a battle ahead. \\u201cThey say the chances of me walking again all on my own are less than 1%, but I\\u2019m the king of small percentages. I\'m\\xa03% of the world\'s population as a Ginger 3%. I have blue eyes, which means I\\u2019m 1% of that population\\u2026So, I like small numbers.\\u201d\\xa0

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Kevin began his rehab by facing his first big physical challenge, getting upright in a wheel-chair. \\u201cI know it sounds easy, but it\\u2019s so hard. It feels like you\\u2019re sitting on top of a balance ball, only imagine if your leg\\u2019s didn\\u2019t work.\\u201d Still, he did it, and he\\u2019s still at work. What remains of his core musculature has begun to adapt. His nervous system is\\xa0reinervating\\xa0and adjusting in astonishing ways. Hell, the guy still manages to have a six-pack, despite the damage.\\xa0

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No, there are no guarantee\\u2019s here for the recovery effort, but there\\u2019s cause for optimism. Who know\\u2019s what technology will come in the coming years. For paraplegics and spinal cord patients who are able to keep their bodies strong and fit, anything could be possible. If you can remain resilient, tough, and hard to kill, then you should feel optimistic. Kevin\\u2019s got that written all over his face. His happiness and positive outlook are true.\\xa0

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Kevin is training as hard now as he ever has, but the goals and outlook have obviously changed immensely. It\\u2019s no longer about maximizing strength and fitness, it\\u2019s more about not sucking so bad at life in general. It\\u2019s about attacking weaknesses, which now include showering, going to the bathroom, and getting back up into his chair after a fall. Sled pulling, prowler pushing, dumbbell work, gymnastic drills, it all has a place in his regimen.\\xa0

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That\\u2019s where the biggest lesson of Kevin\\u2019s story shines through, I think. Progress on the small things is incredibly rewarding. Consider going back and working on the basics. It might be your posture, your foot position, your timing, whatever. Remastering it will be one of the most rewarding things you can do. If you get injured, do not stop. There\\u2019s always something you can still do. So do it! Something is better than nothing, always. And who know\\u2019s, this enforced change might just be the best thing for you. For once, you might be forced into doing something new, something necessary. You\\u2019ll have to develop and utilize new tools. That\\u2019s always a good thing.\\xa0

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I don\\u2019t think there\\u2019s a limit to what Kevin can achieve. He might walk again, I hope. But he\\u2019s definitely not going anywhere. He will keep finding new ways to train and compete as an adaptive Crossfit athlete. He\\u2019ll keep working to share the message of fitness with other patients, bringing the support and community that have made such a difference in his life since January.\\xa0

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Revelry, revelry, you have our full support, Kevin. There\\u2019s no limit to what you will achieve.\\xa0

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To learn more about the cause and support Kevin\\u2019s efforts, make sure to check out\\xa0KevinOgar.com. You can also follow him on\\xa0Instagram\\xa0and\\xa0Facebook\\xa0in order to stay up to date on all the latest developments.\\xa0

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Thanks, Kevin. It was truly an honor to meet and chat with you.\\xa0

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Chris

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